


Today And Forever

by literaryqueenb



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: IronStrange, M/M, Magic, Mirror Dimension, Portals, Post Civil War, Rhodey made it happen, Stephen is a closet Tony stan, Tony is a soft boy, ironstrange dads, ironstrange husbands, superfamily2.0
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 10:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14767866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryqueenb/pseuds/literaryqueenb
Summary: “Pa?”Stephen lets his book hover in the air as he turns to face Peter. The boy looks intensely curious, as he often does before a torrent of questions escapes him. He rests his pen atop his chemistry notes and this time, only asks one question;“how did you and dad meet?”“well Pete it all started with your Uncle Rhodes”





	Today And Forever

“Pa?” 

 

Stephen lets his book hover in the air as he turns to face Peter. The boy looks intensely curious, as he often does before a torrent of questions escapes him. He rests his pen atop his chemistry notes and this time, only asks one question;

 

“how did you and dad meet?”

 

Stephen had not been expecting that at all, he wonders how doing chemistry in the sanctum library could trigger a train of thought toward he and Tony. 

 

Stephen smiles as he brings these memories from years ago to the forefront of his brain. His husband is such a fixture in his life he sometimes forgets there was a time when Tony Stark was new, when Stephen didn't know how he liked his coffee or that he enjoyed being the little spoon or that he loved pineapple pizza for some awful reason. 

 

“well Pete it all started with your Uncle Rhodes”

 

That seems to surprise the boy, his brows raise and he waits silently for Stephen to explain.

 

So he tells Peter about he and Rhodeys first meeting in physiotherapy.

 

Stephen had been in awe of the Colonel when he got to know him. Rhodes was paralyzed, couldn't use his legs, yet he had no regrets. Stephen never connected with that, being so empty and desperate to get his old life back. Regardless Rhodes and Stephen became friends very quickly, Rhodey could handle his arrogance and snarky attitude with an ease he had never seen before and Stephen enjoyed the Colonels humour and intelligence. 

 

Of course the time came that Stephen decided to travel to the far East for his last shot at recovery and he and Rhodes parted with good words and a hug entirely of his doing. 

 

Stephen goes on to tell Peter about the next time he sees Rhodes and engrosses himself in the memory of that day.

 

* * *

 

 

Becoming the sorcerer supreme meant leaving his life behind. It was little to leave, he had no connections other than Christine and a few other people from work that could actually stand him when he had an insufferable ego. 

 

That day he went to the hospital visit his mentor, the man that started off his journey as Dr Strange. He had heard the man was retiring and wanted to bid him good fortune in his workless life. The man would never expect that from Strange, he knows he wouldn't, which is why he feels such a need to do it. 

 

He wasn't a good person before the accident. He'd like to think he is now. 

 

“Stephen!” the plump lady at the reception desk exclaims. He wouldn't miss that jolly smile anywhere.

 

“Helen. How are you?” 

 

“I'm well! But look at you, you look great” She gestures to him excitedly. If he's honest he feels awkward, out of place. He's used to owning the hospital halls dressed in his scrubs. Now he stands around in a black sweater and jeans about to ask for directions.

 

“hey is Dr Ryan around?”

 

“you here to send him off?”

 

“he's working in the private wing, find him there” She smiles, handing him a laminated visitors card. Oh now he really feels out of place. 

 

“thank you" he nods to her, clipping the card to his waistband as he heads for the elevators.

 

“hey Stephen! What are you up to now?” She calls as he pushes the up button.

 

“I do party tricks!” he calls over his shoulder, smirking at her confusion and stepping into the empty elevator. 

 

The private wing is quiet, obviously. There was a time he could have afforded to stay in one of the ample rooms, now he would be part of the chaos in the normal wings, where normal people with no money to spare are rushed around in a cramped space.

 

The first room along the corridor has a cracked open door and he takes that as an opportunity to stick his head in there to see what he can find.

 

He finds James Rhodes. 

 

The colonel sits in a chair on one side of the room, reading the paper with utmost concentration. 

 

“knock knock” Stephen says, causing the Colonel the look up and jerk when he recognises the intruder. 

 

“Stephen!” he grins, chucking the paper on the table and springing up to greet him. Stephen goes in for handshake but Rhodes just grabs his hand and uses it to pull him into a hug. 

 

“you're rather spritey for a paralyzed man Rhodes” He jokes, looking down at the device on his legs. It seems to be a brace of sorts. The metal wraps around his waist and extends down the sides of his legs, with blue circles where his joints are.

 

“Stark tech?” Stephen asks.

 

“Stark tech. Honestly Tony could probably find a way to resurrect me if I died” Rhodes chuckles, scratching the back of his neck.

 

“Well then you're in good company” Stephen smiles. Before he met Rhodes he didn't know what to think of Tony Stark. He loved all his creations, secretly thought he was a genius, But all he ever heard was bad press. 

 

That was until he met the man's best friend and realised how kind and caring Tony is toward him.

 

“so Stephen, did you find a fix in the end?” Rhodey wiggles his fingers. 

 

“no" Stephen sighs. He smiles though, because his hands no longer make him. He's something without them, and although he has moments of frustration he's alright with it. 

 

“Well, I offered it then and I offer again, let Tony look at it” Rhodey smiles encouragingly, holding his arm. 

 

He denied the help out of pride before. He didn't want to go to Tony Stark because he thought he'd be discarding his dignity. He had been too egotistical to even think that Tony Stark obviously wouldn't even know who he was. 

 

“I don't need my hands anymore. It's not a problem” Stephen assures. Rhodes quirks a brow.

 

“So, what do you do now?” 

 

His first thought is to tell him what he tells everyone, that he goes to parties and ties balloons. But Rhodey is an Avenger surrounded by people like Stephen, people that defy all human possibility. He figures it's no harm to tell him the truth. 

 

“I’m a sorcerer”

 

Rhodes blinks several times, tipping his head to the side, “A what now?”

 

Stephen posies himself and starts to create the same magic pattern the ancient once created for him when he still didn't believe in such things. 

 

Once the Colonels eyes are practically falling out of their sockets Stephen clicks his fingers and the magic sparks out of existence. 

 

“A sorcerer” He reiterates. 

 

“Holy crap… and you couldn't do that before?” Rhodes crosses his arms and contemplates Stephen from top to bottom like hes a new person.

 

“Nope” He pops the ‘p’ in the word, slipping his hands in his pockets.

 

“Dude you  _ have  _ to join the Avengers” That throws Stephen. It’s certainly not what he expected to hear. 

 

“You don't even know the extent of my powers” He points out, withholding the whole sorcerer supreme title. 

 

“We’re critical on numbers” 

 

“the coffee here looked like swamp water so I jogged over to… who is this?”

 

Stephen turns to the familiar voice and finds himself looking into the eyes of Tony Stark. 

 

His first thought is that the man's eyes are the most incredible he's ever seen. Then he really looks at him, catalogues the surprisingly fluffy looking brown hair, the black Henley and jeans, the long lashes and cut on his temple. He looks… soft.

 

Just like that Stephens perception of the man does a 180. He’s so used to seeing Tony Stark serious, with sharp edges and expensive suits or in the iron man suit. He hadn't expected him to look so comfortable and, well, soft. 

 

“This is a friend of mine, Stephen Strange. Stephen this is who you think it is” 

 

Tony hands a coffee to Rhodey so he has a spare hand to shake Stephens. As they do this Tony’s eyes narrow. He doesn't let go even when the shake is over. Despite being decently taller the scrutiny shrinks the sorcerer. 

 

“Strange… Why have I heard o- oh! I’ve read all of your papers, that's why” Tony then lets go, wagging his finger at the recognition. Stephen feels like the ground has been pulled out underneath him because  _ the  _ Tony Stark, the man Stephen has been in closet awe of since he was 17 has actually taken the time out of his life to read his work. 

 

“You got anymore in the works? I’d love to have a read” He eyes Stephen over his cup expectantly. 

 

“Stephen isn't really in the neurosurgeon business anymore is he?” Rhodey insterjects, lightly elbowing Stephen. 

 

“Ah no” He admits with an apologetic smile. He almost feels the urge to write another paper just to appease Tony. 

 

“Get this Tones, he's a wizard” 

 

“Sorcerer” Stephen quickly corrects.

 

“Oh god not-”

 

“Not like Wanda. Don’t worry Tony” 

 

“Wanda?” He looks between Rhodes and Tony, seeing the formers desperate want to calm his friend and the latters slowly morphing from terrified to only slightly uneasy. 

 

“A witch who messed up my brain and threw a bunch of cars on me” He says casually, going to drink more coffee.  

 

“That's… pleasant” He can only imagine how un fun that must be for Tony. 

 

“Very” He quips flatly. 

 

Then a woman with a clipboard enters the room.

 

“Gentlemen could you excuse Mr Rhodes and I?”

 

“Sure doc” Tony murmurs, leading the way as he and Stephen take their leave.

 

“I pay for the room then get kicked out of it. No decency these days is there?” He jokes as they stand around in the empty hall.

 

“Walk with me Stephen” He gestures for him to follow as he heads for the elevator. He follows without much thought. 

 

“So tell me about this… sorcery” Tony leans against the elevator frame and supplies Stephen with his full attention.

 

“I just know some tricks, like this” He gestures an arched swipe with his hand as the elevator doors open, using no magic at all.

 

“Haha. Are you and Rhodey pulling my leg?” He asks as they step into the empty lift.

 

“Not at all” Stephen chuckles and brings the coffee he just duplicated off of the one in Tony's hand to his lips. It’s comical to watch the man look at Stephen, look down, then whip his head back with wide, pretty eyes. He blinks, looks at his own coffee and back at Stephens. 

 

“Have I been awake too long?” 

 

“If you could be anywhere in the world where would you want to be?”

 

“Um… I miss quiet life at my Malibu mansion”

Stephen has to do a quick sweep of his memory to be able to picture the location in his head but once he does he retrieves the sling ring from his pocket and creates a portal there, pulling Tony through. 

 

They end up in Tony’s drive, near the cliff edge, looking out to the vast ocean. It's considerably warmer in Malibu and the wind tousles Tony’s hair.

 

He looks like he’s having an outer body experience.

 

“What the actual hell?” He breathes as Stephen closes the portal. 

 

“This is a great location” Stephen comments, sipping at his coffee. 

 

“You just… you” His hand points in obscure directions and his mouth opens and closes at words he doesn't know how to string. 

 

“Opened a portal” 

 

Tony stares at Stephen for some moments, then does a slow 360 to take in his surroundings, the reality that seconds ago they were in New York and now they're outside his home. 

 

“Show me more” He breathes. It reminds Stephen of him when he asked the ancient one to teach him. He had that same wander in his eyes, that same lust to see more. 

 

Stephen smiles at that awe filled expression and creates a mirror dimension around them by flinging his arms out. 

 

“What did you just do?” He looks around for something different, of course nothing is. 

 

“I put us in a mirror dimension. Anything that happens here won't affect the real world”

 

“So if I jump off this cliff-”

 

“God no don’t do that. It isn't death proof”

 

“Oh”

 

“Ever wanted to walk on water?” 

 

Tony looks at him like he's crazy and laughs when he sees Stephen is very serious. 

 

“Are you a sorcerer or Jesus?”

 

“Oh please, Jesus has nothing on me” Stephen smirks.

 

Before Tony can respond he targets a strip of water, and by gently raising two fingers, palms upwards, the water begins to rise above the rest, spilling at the edges as it comes to a stop when it reaches the level of the cliff.

 

“Shall we?” Stephen gestures for them to walk. Positively gobsmacked, Tony nods and walks up to the edge of the cliff, experimentally stepping in the water. As promised, his foot settles on top, just a thin layer of salted water surrounding his white shoe.  

 

“I think I’m stoned” He breathes, stepping in the water with his other foot. 

 

“Welcome to my world” Stephen chuckles, striding into the water as if he’s even done this before. 

 

They walk the path silently, Tony still busy being amazed by it all and Stephen enjoying the expression on the mans face. 

 

Stephen had always thought Tony Stark was good looking but now, with wide, wonderous eyes, with the sun shining over his features… he's gorgeous. 

 

Tony approaches the edge of the path, looking down at the waterfall leading to the normal water level. Stephen panics and grabs Tony’s hand to pull him back into the middle.

 

“Careful” Their shoulders bump together and Tony is so engrossed in the view he absently laces his fingers in Stephens and doesn't let go. He looks away to hide his blush and his heart jumps a little. 

 

When they've gone far enough Tony stops. He doesn't look at the water, he doesn't look back at his home, he doesn't look at the sun where it sits low in the sky but he looks up at Stephen, still holding his hand and standing facing him, with little space between them.

 

He looks up at Stephen with a sparkle, with a universe of amazement and wonder in his beautiful eyes. 

 

“You… you're amazing” He breathes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“And that's when something set in motion in my heart” Stephen tells Peter as the boy listens intently. 

 

“After that I signed up as a part time Avenger, just to see him really, Rhodey set us up on a date after months of us being morons and well… we fell in love and now we’re married I guess” Stephen shrugs comically but smiles fondly as he fiddles with the gold band on his ring finger. 

 

“Wow… thank god for Uncle Rhodey right?” Peter jokes, spinning a pencil between his fingers. 

 

“Yea”

 

Thank god for Uncle Rhodey indeed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> btw I do like pineapple pizza, its my favourite. (Sue me)
> 
> and once you've sued me follow me on Tumblr @wifeofanime for some juicy ironstrange content


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